Boulder Police Detective Jack Gardner's nickname is TOJ, short for "Tower of Justice."

Despite the former Colorado State University basketball player's imposing physical presence -- at 6-feet, 7-inches tall -- victims, witnesses and even suspects describe him as a caring, compassionate man, colleagues say.

The annual award, named for the Boulder officer who was shot and killed in 1994 while responding to a domestic violence call, goes to Boulder County law enforcement officers who have performed admirably in working to end domestic violence.

"Domestic violence victims often look to him as a protector, someone they can trust and depend on," said Tim Johnson, the Boulder County District Attorney's Office senior domestic violence prosecutor. "It goes without saying what a great person he is and that he really cares about victims."

Nominees are selected and voted on by their peers as well as representatives of Boulder County victim advocacy and social services groups.

A 10-year veteran of the Boulder family crimes unit with more than 150 domestic violence and 120 child abuse investigations under his belt, Gardner was nominated four other times before winning the award this year.

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"Over the years, he has shown a dogged determination to catch bad guys and a heartfelt compassion for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault," said Cmdr. Kim Stewart, who was a close friend of Haynes.

Gardner joined the Boulder police force in 1998, after working as a schoolteacher and in the wholesale beverage business. He credited his past experiences for helping him build a rapport with people as a detective, and said it was a passion for helping others that drove him to law enforcement and, specifically, family crimes.

He said the most challenging part of his job is getting victims to open up about the abuse being committed by those they often still love, and to break the cycle of violence before it escalates.

Gardner, now part of Boulder's major crimes unit, still works on domestic violence cases and has been credited as a mentor to other family crime detectives. He is a certified SWAT team negotiator and has served on the Boulder County Domestic Violence Task Force.

In his acceptance speech Thursday, Gardner applauded his nine fellow 2012 nominees and the five special recognition award winners for their work in fighting domestic violence. He also recounted details of a brutal 2004 domestic violence case that sticks with him to this day and read a note he received from the victim seven years later, thanking him and others who helped in her hour of need.

"I think we should all remember that we can and do make a difference in a victim's life," he said.

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